Space: June 9, 2003

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Russia is moving it's space satellite launching operations from an old Soviet era base in Kazakhstan, which Russia now pays $115 million a year to rent. The new launching center is at Plesetsk, near the Arctic coast near Archangel. Plesetsk is already being used, and will take over completely in a few years. The Kazakhs have pressured the Russians for higher rent and complained of noise and debris from missile launches. So the Russians are moving out.